


An Abused Hybrid Snake

by Shadow_The_Eevee



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Fantasy, Mutants, Past Abuse, Snakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-30 01:11:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20806034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_The_Eevee/pseuds/Shadow_The_Eevee
Summary: When her owner is sent to jail Shadow gets discovered. A policewomen rescue her and give her to a close friend. Now Shadow needs to adjust to a new life, one of love and just a bit of hate.





	1. Prologue

Shadow sat coiled around herself in a vain attempt to keep warm. Her heat lamp was normally not very warm but it was practically turned off now. She heard some muffled voices and felt the lid of her tank being removed, despite her pain Shadow tried to move away but with no luck. A hand grabbed her but to her surprise, the hold was gentle and made sure not to touch her injured scales. Shadow instantly relaxed and curled into the warm chest of whoever was holding her. In seconds she was asleep, welcoming the heat that now filed her cold body.


	2. Discovery

The owner of the house, Dakota Moss, had just been taken into custody for drug charges. Now it was up to the officers to search his house to find more evidence against him. Officer Alice Dray was searching the bedroom when she made a horrifying discovery. In a tank that was way too small sat what looked to be a curled up milk snake, on closer inspection Alice could see it was heavily abused and had no source of heat currently available.

"The poor thing must be freezing."

Alice popped open the lid and felt her heart break as the squished reptile tried sluggishly to move. She pulled it out and shivers at how cold it was, quickly pulling it to her chest. She could see it was about three feet long and had broken scales, scare, dried blood, bites, bruising exposed skin, burn marks, and the poor thing was heavily malnourished. Alice got a better look at the snake as it curled up against her and realized it was no ordinary milk snake, in fact, it looked more like a coral snake! The thing was, the strips that were meant to be yellow were purple. 

Then it dawned on Alice, this wasn't a normal snake, it was a mutant hybrid of some kind. Alice informed her team on her find and after some pictures and notes, Alice was given the ok to take it to the hospital. After she arrived Alice handed the mutant reptile over to the veterinarian and watched as they took off to treat it. After they disappeared into the back Alice walked outside and pulled out her phone. She scrolled till she found her contact, dialing the number, Alice waited for them to pick up.

"Hey Katie, I have a favor to ask you"


	3. Welcome Home

Shadow woke up from her sleep to warmth serenading her, sleepy she yawned and slowly looked around her surroundings. She quickly began to panic as she saw she was in a travel bag. Her relaxed state turned agitated as she began darting around the tied bag as she desperately tried to escape. Her owner only put her in her travel bag when he planned to give her to his friends to hurt. She soon felt a hand on the bag and tried to bite it but stopped when she didn't feel any pain. She stilled for a moment and listened to the voices overhead.

"Like I said she was heavily abused so she very defensive and skittish."

Shadow didn't recognize the voice, it was female but it didn't sound like her owner's evil girlfriend.

"Oh poor thing, well don't worry Alice I'll take good care of her and hopefully I can gain her trust."

It was another female voice, one Shadow didn't recognize either. Shadow didn't know what they were talking about but she was still scared where her owner was. Suddenly the bag began to move and Shadow started freaking out again, she wasn't ready to deal with the pain yet.

"Shh shh you're alright girl, I'm not going to hurt you."

A gentle voice sounded close to her bag and Shadow couldn't help but relax. She heard their goodbyes and then the bag was moving again. Shadow remind still this time, not wanting to aggravate the person now holding her. After some time the top of the bag was opened and Shadow could see light pour into the opened top. Shadow curled herself into a ball and tried to hide, hoping she was not seen.

"Listen kiddo I'm not going to hurt you, I know you're really scared right now. You're probably very confused and don't know what to do. Please know I'm not going to hurt you but I need to put you in your new cage. So even though you're really scared please don't bite me."

A tentative hand then reached into the bag and slowly pulled the coral mutant out. Shadow was confused as to why this girl was being so gentle but her soft fingers made her want to stay. Soon she was lowered onto a large branch and the hand slipped away, moving to then close glass doors. Shadow could finally see the girl who was talking to her. She had shoulder-length puffy brown hair and pretty brown eyes to match. She had pale lightly tanned skin and wore and lovely pink dress. Shadow was stunned at how pretty she was compared to her owner's girlfriend.

"Thank you for not biting me, now you're probably still really confused."

The pretty girl said her name was Katie, she explained how her owner had been arrested, she was found and then treated, and since she was a mutant she was brought to her. Shadow had curled up on the branch as Katie spoke and was overjoyed to be away from her old owner. Though Shadow couldn't help but fear what this new girl was going do to her, but even with her fear, she felt this wave of calm around her.

"Now I know you probably have no clue what I'm saying but I think you had a right to be told. I don't have a name for you just yet but it's very late so I'll think of one in the morning. I'll also introduce you to my housemates tomorrow."

Shadow froze and fled to the back of the enclosure at the mention of other people. Other people meant more pain.

"Aww sweetie you don't have to worry about them, either way, I'm going to sleep so I'll let you get accustomed to your new home now, goodnight."

Katie smiled and waved before walking over to her bed, Shadow could now tell she was in the girl's room. Katie turned off her lights and lay down to sleep, giving Shadow one more smile before curling up. Shadow expected the lamp above her to turn off as well but to her surprise, it remained on. Her old owner would turn it off at night saying it made it hard for him to sleep. Shadow slithered up a branch and laid under the lamp, she let out a purring noise at the warmth it gave her cold body. After that, she slid down the branch to the cushiony substrate bellow and found a large cave and watering dish, after a bit more exploring Shadow set to work. She picked up a stick on the ground and positions it on the floor before finding another and another.


	4. Meet The Family

The next morning Katie awoke to a rather odd sight. On the bottom of her new snake's enclosure, there were a bunch of sticks arranged in a pattern. Katie looked over it a few time before she was able to make out what it was. The sticks were letters and they spelled out the word 'Shadow' on the ground.

"Shadow?"

The still sleepy snake slithered from her cave and looked up at Katie, giving her a flick of the tongue in greeting.

"Oh! So your name is Shadow?"

The coral hybrid nodded and slipped her way up the branch to her light

"Wow, you understand me!"

Shadow gave a tail flick this time and flinch when Katie squealed.

"Oh, that's so cool! Well, I guess that makes sense since you are a mutant."

Shadow tuned out the rest of what she had said, too absorbed in the warmth, only registering the sound of the door closing. It wasn't long before Katie returned with two other people in tow. Seeing this Shadow dashed into the back corner of her container.

"Its ok Shadow, they aren't going to hurt you, please come out."

Katie's calm voice made Shadow relax a bit and after a little more encouragement Shadow slowly slithered to the front. Shadow could see Katie and two new humans, both male. The closer one wore a red shirt with a gold crown in the middle and white pajama pants covered in little sleeping cats. He had dark blonde hair and caramel eyes, with a few freckles over his nose. The other had on a black shirt with a blue tire and blue jeans. He had silvery gray hair and green eyes framed in black-rimmed glasses.

"Shadow these are my friends James and Clark, guys this is Shadow, she's super intelligent!"

Shadow couldn't hear what else Katie said she was too scared of the new men.

"Well it doesn't matter, she needs to know whos the alfa round here!"

Suddenly the one named Clark stepped forward and opened the doors.

"No wait Clark don't pick her-"

Katie couldn't finish her warning as Shadow had already reacted. As his hand came at her she was instantly overwhelmed with fear. He was going to hurt her, he was mean, evil, she had to react, must protect, bigger, get bigger! Shadow reared back and let out a thundering hiss, baring her massive fangs. As she drew back she let out her hidden hood, making her body even larger. Clark reeled and screamed as he fell back, crawling across the floor in shock. James was studying the behavior as Katie tried to calm the distrout reptile.

"Hey! Shadow, please calm down! Clark wasn't going to hurt you! Please calm down!"

Shadow turned to strike as something grew close but froze as she saw Katie. Shadow relaxed and dropped her hood as the girl approached, falling back to the floor.

"Fascinating, so she has the colors of a Micrurus tener but has a hood like Elapidae. It also looks like she has the fangs of Elapidae too. She is one deadly creatcher."

Katie had closed the doors again and looked to James.

"I have no idea what you're talking about buddy."

James sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"She's a coral snake with a cobra hood and fangs."

Katie nodded in confirmation and was about to say something when she was cut off.

"Well, I for one am not fascinated. I don't want anything to do with that thing."

Clark shouted as he stood and made his way to the door, huffing as he left. James just shook his head, Katie looked back at the serpent as it basked on her log.

"Don't worry about him Shadow, he's just a bit dramatic."

Shadow gave a hiss like laugh and flicked her tail in response. This made James chuckle and Katie coo at the snake.

"Wow, she really is smart if she has a sense of humor."


	5. Fire And Food

James and Katie talked for a bit with Shadow interjecting every once in a while. Her old owner would get pissed at her for bothering him but the two humans seemed to enjoy her input. Shadow lay on her branch listening to the two talks when she heard one of them mention fire. Shadow froze. Fire, fire hurt, he used fire. Shadows mind flashed to him. He was bored, he placed her in a jar, mouth bound shut. Shadow watched as he lit a small stick on fire and lowered it into the jar. Shadow could not run, she could not bite, she flared her hood but nothing stopped him. The fire hurt, he wedged it under her scales, she felt her skin boil. She suddenly felt too hot, to trapped she needed to run, he was coming. He was close, no pain, pain, PAIN-

"Shadow please snap out of it, you're biting yourself."

A voice soft and sweet like cake broke through the haze, Shadow felt the pain numb and visions of him faded.

"There you are asweetie, your ok, your safe, no one is going to hurt you."

Shadow's mide came back and her eyes were met with the sweet face of her new owner. She had a calm and gentle look on her face but her worry was still visible. Shadow slowly slide to the front of the tank, lifting up some and pressing her body to the glass. She placed her nose on the window and looked at Katie. Katie leaned down and pressed her nose where Shadow's was.

"Thank you Shadow, I'm happy you feel better."

Shadow pulled back and flicked her tongue at the glass, imitating a kiss.

"Haha aww thank you, your such a sweetheart."

Shadow gave a smile the best she could before slithering wearily onto her branch.

"From the looks of it, Shadow has some PTSD, which makes sense considering her past but it's truly remarkable how advanced she is."

Shadow was rather tired after her panic attack so she found a comfortable place, which happened to be her water bowl since she felt a bit dry, and curled up to rest.

Later that day Katie went back to her room with James in tow carrying a mug of warm water. After closing her door she opened Shadows enclosure, Shadow was still in her water bowl. The movement and smells made shadow wake up, though she wasn't entirely present.

"Alice said she hasn't eaten in a long time so let's see if she'll eat for us."

Shadow picked up at the smell of food, and her mind whirled to life, instinct kicked in and she hunkered down to strike. She watched as Katie used a pair of tongs to reach into the mug and pull out a rat by its tail. Katie stretched her arm out and presented the rodent to Shadow, shaking it a bit to try and prove her strike. Shadow wasted no time in shooting out and grabbing the food, sinking her fang in to kill her prey. Katie continued to shake the rat some more before letting go, making shadow believe she had killed it. Once it stopped moving Shadow new her poison was done and began to work the food down her throat. She slowly went into her cave when she finished, leaving a smiling James and Katie.


	6. Defense Mechanism

It has been almost a month now and Shadow had changed immensely. She and Katie have bonded strongly to the point Shadow loves to hang on her shoulders. Shadow has become a much more chill snake and is now allowed to roam freely since she is no longer hostile. After the events of their first encounter, Clark and Shadow really haven't gotten any better. Unforchunetly Clark's actions made him seem like her old owner so Shadow struggled to trust him. She was still quite defensive when he got to close and has striked at him a few times. It only happened when she was resting on Katie's shoulders and he got to close for Shadow's liking.

Right now Shadow was curled up on the sofa, basking in a patch of sun streaming through the window. James was sitting on the other side of the couch reading a book, the room a warm and quiet as they sat. James and Shadow had a peaceful calm with one another, they weren't close like Katie but he didn't mind her presence. He found her fascinating and her docile state was relaxing to him. Their peace was interrupted as Clark came down the stairs and let out a huff at the sight of Shadow.

"Dam thing's in my spot."

He walked over and without thinking grabbed her and yanked her from her peaceful sleep. He was about to yell when Shadow scrunched up and faced him. Then, she threw up. Clark screamed and let go, appalled by the semi-digested rat splattered on his torso. Shadow hit the floor with a painful thud and made a mad dash under the sofa behind James's feet.

"What happened, why did you scream?"

Katie popped in from the kitchen as she heard a scream, shocked to see Clark's state.

"You tell me I wanted to sit and tried to move your pet when she suddenly threw up on me!"

Katie was confused and was about to ask more when the sound of a quiet sigh caught their attention.

"When scared or stressed after recently eating a snake will regurgitate its meal to become lighter and distract the predator as they try to escape. Shadow had eaten a few hours ago so when you frightened her she spit up, you can't blame her for her instincts. Now could you please get her off me."

The two looked over to see Shadow was coiled on top of James's head and seemed to be trying to hide in his hair. Katie giggled and gently took Shadow and placed her on her shoulders. While James didn't mind her presence he still wasn't a fan of her on him.

"Thank you for that James, your always so smart."

James looked up from his book and gave Katie and Shadow a smile before returning to his book.

"Well she knows damn well I'm not going to kill her, so why does she hate me!"

Clark yelled as he threw his hands in the air. At this James shut his book and looked Clark in the eyes.

"You treat her like shit and like she means nothing. She came from a hellish life and you're making her life here hell. If you treat her some kindness and respect her for all she's been through then maybe she wouldn't react so fearful towards you."

Clark was speechless as James adjusted his glasses with a huff and went back to his book. Katie was stunned and just quietly sat on the couch so Shadow could continue sunbathing.

Later that day Clark ask Katie if he could feed Shadow, he took James's words to heart and wanted to better his relationship with Shadow. Katie was happy to agree and together they went to her room with food. Katie opened the cage and watched the venomous snake slither towards the front. Clark grabbed the rat by its tail and held it put for Shadow. She was hesitant but the smell overpowered her fear, so she pulled back, and lunged.


	7. A Happy Family

It took some time but eventually, Clark had gained a decent friendship with the mutant reptile. Now the three of them were sitting on the couch, Clark and Katie were playing Mario Kart while James was reading. Shadow lay across both Clark and Katie's lap fully stretching all five feet, she had grown quite a bit in Katie's care. Clark was winning for the something time in a row and Shadow could sense Kaite's distress from it. The clever snake slowly crawled towards the controller in Clark's hand, he was so wrapped up in the game he didn't notice. Then over a jump Shadow bashed her head into the controller and caused him to fall.

"What the hell!"

Shadow darted back to Katie and watched as she passed him and won the race. Katie turned and giggled, rubbing Shadow in praise.

"Looks like she knows how to play, or at least help me win."

Katie laughed and James chuckled at there antics.

"Oh come on Shadow I thought we were becoming friends!"

Katie picked Shadow up and placed her around her shoulders.

"Even if you are friends, she's still my baby."

Shadow flicked her tongue across Katie's cheek and nuzzled into her neck. Proving her statement and making Clark let out a noise of frustration. James just smiled at his strange little family, while they had lived together for some time they never really felt truly connected. They all kind of kept to themselves and rarely engaged in conversation. Then Shadow came into there life and they began to talk more.

They would sit in her room and watch the highly intelligent snake play with the toys Katie built. James would tell her interesting things about the breeds she was, he found researching how her different species work together as one interesting. After creating a bond with her Clark began to ask her to help him practice for plays. He would lay her on the ground to practice movements for difficulties scenes or read lines to as she didn't talk but still gave feedback in the form of hissing and hood flaps to answer. Sometimes she would agree to help him practice fight scenes, Katie would supervise these in case shadow had a flashback. Being so long shadow would rear up and be a proper target, she didn't move around and mess up his placements but she wasn't completely still and waved her head a bit. As for Shadow, she was happy. She had a loving family, a proper home, she went from wishing for death and fearing any movement to waking up excited to see her owners. Their family was finally complete, and all it took was an abused hybrid snake to bring them together.


End file.
